Silo unloader wall cleaner



June 23, 1964 BUSCHBOM 3,138,268

SILO UNLOADER WALL. CLEANER Filed Dec. 8, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. FL 0 YD E. BUJ'CHBOM ATToRNEY;

Jun 23, 1964 F. E. BUSCHBOM SILO UNLOADER WALL CLEANER Filed Dec. 8, 1961 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

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United States Patent 3,138,268 SILO UNLOADER WALL CLEANER Floyd E. Buschbom, Long Lake, Minn., assignor to Vandale Corporation, Long Lake, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Filed Dec. 8, 1961, Ser. No. 157,913 Claims. (Cl. 214-17) This invention relates to an improved multiblade wall cleaner for cleaning ensilage or the like from the inside vertical surface of a storage bin, such as a silo. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved multiblade wall cleaner rotatable in cooperation with a silo unloader auger assembly whereby superior ensilage removal is attained.

It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a multiblade wall cleaner adapted to engage the auger assembly of a silo unloader and cooperate therewith.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a multiblade wall cleaner of strong and durable construction thereby providing necessary and reliable functional strength.

A further objective of this invention is to provide a new and useful multiblade wall cleaner formed from a minimum of parts and requiring a minimum of material and labor to produce, thereby reducing substantially the expense to producer and consumer.

Further objects reside in the specific constructional details of the wall cleaner and in its structural cooperation with the silo unloader auger structure.

Other and further objects of this invention are those inherent and apparent in the apparatus as described, pictured and claimed.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, this invention then comprises the feature hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

The invention is illustrated by the drawings in which the same numerals refer to corresponding parts and in which;

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary elevation, partially in section, of the wall cleaner according to this invention in conjunction with a silo unloader auger assembly;

FIGURE 2 is a view taken along the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view taken along the lines 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view taken along the lines 44 of FIGURE 3.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIGURE 1, there is shown the multiblade wall cleaner, generally designated 10, in conjunction with the auger assembly of the silo unloader and its positioning relative to the silo wall W. The function and structure of the auger assembly is disclosed in detail by my United States Patent No. 2,794,- 560, issued June 4, 1957, incorporated herein by reference. The auger assembly including twin, oppositely driven, helical flight conveyors and their arrangement and positioning in relationship to the unloader mechanism, silo wall, ensilage surface, etc., therefore will not be described in further detail.

The wall cleaner includes a shaft 11 seated in bearing 12 and at the exterior end thereofis provided with a plurality of cutters 13, in this particular instance being six cleaner to be driven in cooperation with the auger drive means. As shown a sleeve 11A is fixed in position in shaft 17 and serves as a cylindrical spacer between shafts 11 and 17.

The cutters or blades 13, as best shown in FIGURE 3, are spaced evenly upon and extend radially from the hub 14, which is shrunk fit and/ or welded to shaft 11. In the preferred embodiment shown the hub 14 and cutter 13 are formed or molded as integral elements. Each cutter is pitched or twisted in the same direction to provide an outwardly disposed and curved leading edge 18 and an inwardly disposed and curved trailing edge 19. a The tip section 20 uniting these edges, includes an inwardly projecting lip or flange portion, adapted to engage and scoop a layer of ensilage E, as the cutters are rotated to their downward position at the top surface of the ensilage.

Each cutter is pitched or twisted to provide the proper contour of the inner and outer faces 21 and 22. Inner face 21 is the essential face since it functions as the work face, and therefore will be described in greater detail. Adjacent hub 14 and extending for a short portion therefrom, the inner face is substantially flat, but thereafter is curved due to the twisting of the blade. The contour of the curved portion of the inner face which is adjacent the leading edge 18, is mildly concave. The contour of the curved portion of the inner face which is adjacent the trailing edge 19 is mildly convex. Outer face 22, as is to be understood, assumes the reverse contour of inner face 21. If the cutters were not pitched or twisted in the manner, of this invention, the inner and outer faces of each cutter would appear to be generally rectangular as viewed similarly as in FIGURE 3.

The tip section 20 of each cutter or blade comprises an inwardly projecting or backwardly bending flange section which forms a lip with an internal upper surface 24 which cooperates with inner surface 21 to provide such a contour to convey the ensilage away from the wall and direct- 1y inwardly to the auger conveyor.

As best shown in FIGURE 4, the inner edge 25 of the flange section in this particular embodiment is shown curved slightly to provide an arcuate edge, the chord of which is pitched similarly as the cutters.

When two wall cleaners are used in conjunction with twin auger conveyors, which is the preferred embodiment, the leading auger conveyor and wall cleaner assembly, such as the assembly on the right of FIGURE 3, is, as shown by the arrows, oppositely driven relative to the conveyor and wall cleaner assembly on the left, or the trailing assembly. In this manner, more effective removal is accomplished since the ensilage is expediently fed inwardly between the twin conveyors toward the center of the silo to be ejected as is known. Thus, it is to be understood that since the cleaners are rotating in opposite directions, the blades of the wall cleaner on the left are reversely pitched or twisted.

Thus, as will be readily appreciated, there is provided an effective gathering and conveying means for directing the ensilage away from the silo wall toward the center of the silo employing a wall cleaner means which may be readily and easily installed, which permits construction of simple parts but insures ample strength, which provides ease of manufacture, and which fulfills the foregoing listed objects of the invention, as well as others.

It is apparent that many modifications and variations of this invention as hereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. The specific embodiments described are given by way of example only and the invention is limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

What is claimed:

1. A wall cleaner comprising a hub, a plurality of pitched blades secured at one end to said hub and extending radially therefrom, said blades being evenly spaced about said hub and each including leading and trailing edges, outer and inner faces and a flanged tip section uniting said edges, the inner face of each of said blades being concaved for at least a portion thereof adjacent to the leading edge and convexed for at least a portion thereof adjacent the trailing edge, said flange tip section projecting inwardly thereby providing an internal flange surface in cooperation with said inner face, whereby said inner face and said internal flange surface being so contoured that as the wall cleaner is rotated the ensilage is forced inwardly away from said wall and said wall cleaner.

2. The structure according to claim 1 further characterized in that the outer face of each of said blades is convex for at least a portion thereof adjacent the leading edge and concaved for at least a portion thereof adjacent the trailing edge.

3. The structure according to claim 2 further characterized in that said outer and inner faces are generally rectangular.

4. The structure according to claim 3 further characterized in that said flange tip section has a curved inward projecting edge.

5. In combination, a rotary conveyor of the auger type including pitched flighting and a wall cleaning device comprising a hub portion secured to the end of said rotary conveyor and having radially extending pitched blades, which blades are pitched similarly to the pitch of the auger of said rotary conveyor, each of said blades being convex on its edge nearest to the conveyor and concave on its edge spaced from the conveyor and each of said blades having an inwardly turned terminal flange at its end distant from said hub.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 755,930 Prentice Mar. 29, 1904 2,794,560 Buschbom June 4, 1957 3,013,673 Patz et a1 Dec. 19, 1961 3,017,045 Soehl et al. Jan. 16, 1962 

1. A WALL CLEANER COMPRISING A HUB, A PLURALITY OF PITCHED BLADES SECURED AT ONE END TO SAID HUB AND EXTENDING RADIALLY THEREFROM, SAID BLADES BEING EVENLY SPACED ABOUT SAID HUB AND EACH INCLUDING LEADING AND TRAILING EDGES, OUTER AND INNER FACES AND A FLANGED TIP SECTION UNITING SAID EDGES, THE INNER FACE OF EACH OF SAID BLADES BEING CONCAVED FOR AT LEAST A PORTION THEREOF ADJACENT TO THE LEADING EDGE AND CONVEXED FOR AT LEAST A PORTION THEREOF ADJACENT THE TRAILING EDGE, SAID FLANGE TIP SECTION PROJECTING INWARDLY THEREBY PROVIDING AN INTERNAL FLANGE SURFACE IN COOPERATION WITH SAID INNER FACE, WHEREBY SAID INNER FACE AND SAID INTERNAL FLANGE SURFACE BEING SO CONTOURED THAT AS THE WALL CLEANER IS ROTATED THE ENSILAGE IS FORCED INWARDLY AWAY FROM SAID WALL AND SAID WALL CLEANER. 